***DW Ranch***
Race tapped the face of the grandfather clock. It was almost midnight and for all they had said and done the best lead they had from the best intelligence in the world, through a network of spies, police and satellite photos was that Jonny could be in any one of the Nirvana Resorts on the West Coast by now.
Well, that wasn't entirely true, they knew he stopped off in one and that 27 cars left the garage of the building going to each Nirvana Resort on the West Coast and pulled into the enclosed garages. That made the list a bit lengthy. Phil said he was trying to find out just what pattern they were using when they moved the other children, the ones they knew about at least. A sneaking suspicion filled Korvin that the numbers were that small, that the bodies that stayed hidden for up to 23 days was just some coincidence. No, something told him that the jump of not killing someone for 10 days only to go on a spree that was well calculated, it didn't add up. They were killing one child per day and once a child was taken they had 3 days at best before they wound up dead and en route to a special location of their own.
That gut instinct of Phil's didn't sit with Race all that well, either. In fact, Benton and he had been working on a pattern for all the children that had gone missing with the suspicion of kidnapping and matching description as Jonny from around the United States.
'That was a frighteningly high number,' Race reminded himself bitterly. "4000 children that were 12-17, blond haired, blue eyed and male with a stable home condition and no known drug problem or social problem. Most of those kids seemed to disappear around Chicago, Detroit, NYC all of the cities with a higher population density. That wasn't in the pattern though. These kids were from rural to suburban areas and disappeared from an urban or suburban area.
Race rubbed his eyes. Jessie walked up to him, looking at the map.
Her eyes focused in on some of the clear pins, then the colored pins. "Dad, do you see this." She pointed to this pattern that seemed to radiate from the clear pins and the colored pins respectively. "It looks like a 3d view of a pentacle. two of them, really. The clear ones seem to have a gap right around Arizona. -Didn't you say there was a Nirvana Resort around Oracle, AZ?"
Race's eyes grew. "Yeah, oh my gosh, it fits in PERFECTLY there! That sick son of a bitch has been planning this since he FORMED the Nirvana groups." He narrowed his eyes. "Get your things together and let Doug and Benton know. I'll call I1 and the FBI."
***SL 13, Nirvana Resort, Oracle, AZ 12:39 AM***
Jonny kept pulling his arms and feet as far away from the board as he could separate it before the pain became too severe. He could feel the gushes of blood filling in where to wounds were enlarged. 'They'll come. they wouldn't abandon me. wouldn't. days. days. no they wouldn't. wouldn't abandon me.' He struggled.
A wave of fresh tears came flooding through his blue eyes. The skin had been so eaten by the saline that it had created a trail of soft trickling blood, the meat so sensitive to the excess salt that it stung even more, inspiring him to cry harder, ah the bitter cycle. Eventually the tears had caused a small cut in he skin beside his tear ducts, his tears fell down so muddied that they appeared to be tears of blood escaping his eyes.
His eyes glassed over slightly.
Again, Warden jotted down notes, now looking at Jonny's measurements. Using a string, as if tailoring a suit for the boy, he measured out the stretch of Jonny's arms, and their width though the skin was gone, as were most of the muscles. Jonny barely flinched as Warden touched the throbbing spot. As he made his way around Jonny's back Jonny's chest shrank, as if it were more conscious of the pain then Jonny by now. He pulled at his wrists and feet, again, by now it was more a trained pattern, a reflex more than conscious thought of escape.
Warden only took more notes. He leaned in to look at Jonny's eyes; the pupils were practically unseen though they should naturally be dilated the widest after being subjected to the dark room for as long as he had been. The thought of shock never entered Warden's mind. To him, his angel was almost free. He couldn't help it. He was only mortal he had to do it. Warden took a deep breath. "Sariel, dear, sweet Sariel, angel of death, do you borne yourself soon? Shall this world parish at your mercy?"
Jonny's eyes traced towards the man, giving him an enraged look. "I am not the fucking angel of death, your precious EZEKIEL RAGE IS SO GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME or let me DOWN. If I had the strength I'd grant your wish of restful somber IN HELL. go on, LET ME DOWN, let's see if I can move my arms enough to kill you as violently as you ask. come on. do it."
"How DARE you try to impersonate our beloved Sariel you sacrilege of a vessel!" He smacked Jonny sternly across the face with his clipboard and then kissed the carving on Jonny's forehead. "I shall be patient for you my lord. Until you break the bonds of this body and free your soul, and deliver us from this world of pain and nothingness."
"KEEP WISHING Asshole, I'm sure it'll happen." Jonny fluttered his eyes closed. He hadn't realized he had any strength left, let alone enough to chew out some Rage-cage lackey. He realized immediately after that session though, that he hadn't had any more strength as he fell asleep, still pulling at his arms and legs sporadically.
***L 14, Nirvana Resort, Oracle, AZ***
"Brother Warden, you questioned the vessel, didn't you?" Ezekiel said, coolly.
The man hung his head. "I am sorry oh honored one, my impatience may have cost us another day in this hell-world. Please, tell me what I must do to repent?"
"Brother Warden, you must understand that the righteous will ALWAYS win in the end. Do not feel sorrow, but heed this lesson, your penance shall be to beat the vessel of our sacred angel until Sariel comes, use this branch of virtuousness that came from the sacred burning bush, the tool given to us by Joshua, the vessel of sacred Masim, guardian angel of the winds. Our angel must emerge soon, for the time of final judgment will soon be at hand."
Warden bowed and went to the branch. He brought out a lighter and fabric, wrapping the wooden branch in the fabric as he lit the fabric aflame.
Warden had remembered when the angel's vessel Joshua had given them this gracious tool before he ascended. He had gotten away from the minions, and led them directly to where he was destined to be placed, he had taken up a fallen branch from the tree before him, his wings of fan had tangled into the brush. The angel of wind was trapped in the trees, releasing the elemental fury of the winds that day. He had shown them that the branch was a weapon by thrusting it at them, demonstrating. His psyche then collapsed and his true form, Masim the sacred guardian angel of wind had awaked, and as prophesized, the most holy of them all, the honorable Ezekiel Rage, the man who was named after the angel, had slit his throat, as he finished all the angels as only the man housing the name of the angel of death could.
Warden's eyes grew large. "The boy. had spoken of Ezekiel and our beloved Rage. Perhaps he shall awaken soon!" He smiled to himself, though he sighed when he realized the angel would awaken to him smiting his body. 'Though angels feel no pain. he will at the very least think I am insolent.'
***1:30 AM, Oracle, AZ***
"Doug, do you know this area at all?" Benton asked, a sense of desperateness like an animal trapped would have. Somehow the knowledge that time was limited seemed to etch across his face making him age tremendously.
"I don't typically come this far north. But I have a supplier in the business district. Last time he came down he had complained about how a new resort for elitists had come out, he said it was in the center of the town, that it was the highest building they'd ever built in this area."
"I think we should at least check that out." Race suggested. "Center of town, shouldn't be that hard to spot."
***1:30 AM, SL13, Nirvana Resort, Oracle, AZ***
"Sariel, please release this boy from this pain, please, come to us, we all need you!" Warden pleaded as he struck Jonny with the searing hot branch. Jonny's chest had blackened patterns of soot that made lines upon lines across the tight skin. Small cuts made blood mix with the ash.
His eyes started to roll under, after the loss of so much blood and the pain, could he even describe the pain by now? His entire entity seemed to rest on the line of severe pain or peaceful oblivion. No, he had to keep awake, if he slipped off now, he'd be killed. It was his duty to hold on as long as possible, even if his father had abandoned him to this death. No! What was he thinking? His mind drifting around all the ideas, so many words fluttering through his head making it ache as he tried to pull out enough of the words to form a conscious thought. 'Days. abandoned. father. no one cares. gone. alone. Sariel. they want Sariel. they want me. to be.come. Sariel. Sariel. Sariel.'
"Sariel, please, release this boy, has his suffering not equaled your own torment? Those foolish enough to fear you shall burn in the darkest pit of hell, those moral enough to believe in your glory shall rise up with you to your seventh kingdom of heaven! Sariel, do you hear me, my lord?"
"Warum haben Sie mich gestört?" He paused, his eyes were completely washed out. "Sind Sie gekommen, den Tod Ihrer Welt zu suchen?"
Warden bowed his head to the angel. "My master, my angel, my lord. Our savior! You have finally awakened."
"Fordern Sie Sie rufen mich Ihren Retter, wie Sie wissen, was Sie wünschen heraus? Sie betteln für das Verschwinden Ihres existance. Keine Kultur wird Erinnerungen von diesmal je machen." Again, he paused. "Unverschämtes Insekt. Sie haben keine Idee, was Sie wahrheitsgemäss fragen. Ich werde jeden Tropfen des Lebens wie es Wasser durch mein Stroh stehlen war."
"Please, my liege begin by claiming my soul for your heaven's kingdom I am your servant!"
"Nein! Sie sind mein Narr, aber wenn Sie wünschen, dass diese Zerstörung, die es kommen wird. Nur nicht durch I."
Ezekiel made his way down the long elevator. "Minions! The last of the angels, the death of our world has finally come, join me quickly at his shrine, at his altar to pray as we end this existence forever!"
"Ist dies was, den Sie wünschen? Dann werde ich Ihnen Tod geben." He informed as everyone entered. "Je dauernden Tod ewig!"
The masses began to chant along with Sariel, "Tot, Tot, Tot!"
"Tod! Tod! Tod!"
(Status _ Part Six: The Angel Has Arisen _ Completed.)
*Why did you disturb me? Have you come to seek the death of your world? *How dare you call me your savior, what do you wish of me? You beg for the destruction of your existence. No culture will make remembrance of this time ever. Impudent insect. You have no idea of what you ask. I will steal each drop of life as if it were water through a straw. *No! You are my fool, but if you wish for this destruction, it will come. Only not through I. *Is this what you wish? Then I will give you death. Ever lasting death, eternal! *Dead, Dead, Dead! *Death! Death! Death!
Race tapped the face of the grandfather clock. It was almost midnight and for all they had said and done the best lead they had from the best intelligence in the world, through a network of spies, police and satellite photos was that Jonny could be in any one of the Nirvana Resorts on the West Coast by now.
Well, that wasn't entirely true, they knew he stopped off in one and that 27 cars left the garage of the building going to each Nirvana Resort on the West Coast and pulled into the enclosed garages. That made the list a bit lengthy. Phil said he was trying to find out just what pattern they were using when they moved the other children, the ones they knew about at least. A sneaking suspicion filled Korvin that the numbers were that small, that the bodies that stayed hidden for up to 23 days was just some coincidence. No, something told him that the jump of not killing someone for 10 days only to go on a spree that was well calculated, it didn't add up. They were killing one child per day and once a child was taken they had 3 days at best before they wound up dead and en route to a special location of their own.
That gut instinct of Phil's didn't sit with Race all that well, either. In fact, Benton and he had been working on a pattern for all the children that had gone missing with the suspicion of kidnapping and matching description as Jonny from around the United States.
'That was a frighteningly high number,' Race reminded himself bitterly. "4000 children that were 12-17, blond haired, blue eyed and male with a stable home condition and no known drug problem or social problem. Most of those kids seemed to disappear around Chicago, Detroit, NYC all of the cities with a higher population density. That wasn't in the pattern though. These kids were from rural to suburban areas and disappeared from an urban or suburban area.
Race rubbed his eyes. Jessie walked up to him, looking at the map.
Her eyes focused in on some of the clear pins, then the colored pins. "Dad, do you see this." She pointed to this pattern that seemed to radiate from the clear pins and the colored pins respectively. "It looks like a 3d view of a pentacle. two of them, really. The clear ones seem to have a gap right around Arizona. -Didn't you say there was a Nirvana Resort around Oracle, AZ?"
Race's eyes grew. "Yeah, oh my gosh, it fits in PERFECTLY there! That sick son of a bitch has been planning this since he FORMED the Nirvana groups." He narrowed his eyes. "Get your things together and let Doug and Benton know. I'll call I1 and the FBI."
***SL 13, Nirvana Resort, Oracle, AZ 12:39 AM***
Jonny kept pulling his arms and feet as far away from the board as he could separate it before the pain became too severe. He could feel the gushes of blood filling in where to wounds were enlarged. 'They'll come. they wouldn't abandon me. wouldn't. days. days. no they wouldn't. wouldn't abandon me.' He struggled.
A wave of fresh tears came flooding through his blue eyes. The skin had been so eaten by the saline that it had created a trail of soft trickling blood, the meat so sensitive to the excess salt that it stung even more, inspiring him to cry harder, ah the bitter cycle. Eventually the tears had caused a small cut in he skin beside his tear ducts, his tears fell down so muddied that they appeared to be tears of blood escaping his eyes.
His eyes glassed over slightly.
Again, Warden jotted down notes, now looking at Jonny's measurements. Using a string, as if tailoring a suit for the boy, he measured out the stretch of Jonny's arms, and their width though the skin was gone, as were most of the muscles. Jonny barely flinched as Warden touched the throbbing spot. As he made his way around Jonny's back Jonny's chest shrank, as if it were more conscious of the pain then Jonny by now. He pulled at his wrists and feet, again, by now it was more a trained pattern, a reflex more than conscious thought of escape.
Warden only took more notes. He leaned in to look at Jonny's eyes; the pupils were practically unseen though they should naturally be dilated the widest after being subjected to the dark room for as long as he had been. The thought of shock never entered Warden's mind. To him, his angel was almost free. He couldn't help it. He was only mortal he had to do it. Warden took a deep breath. "Sariel, dear, sweet Sariel, angel of death, do you borne yourself soon? Shall this world parish at your mercy?"
Jonny's eyes traced towards the man, giving him an enraged look. "I am not the fucking angel of death, your precious EZEKIEL RAGE IS SO GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME or let me DOWN. If I had the strength I'd grant your wish of restful somber IN HELL. go on, LET ME DOWN, let's see if I can move my arms enough to kill you as violently as you ask. come on. do it."
"How DARE you try to impersonate our beloved Sariel you sacrilege of a vessel!" He smacked Jonny sternly across the face with his clipboard and then kissed the carving on Jonny's forehead. "I shall be patient for you my lord. Until you break the bonds of this body and free your soul, and deliver us from this world of pain and nothingness."
"KEEP WISHING Asshole, I'm sure it'll happen." Jonny fluttered his eyes closed. He hadn't realized he had any strength left, let alone enough to chew out some Rage-cage lackey. He realized immediately after that session though, that he hadn't had any more strength as he fell asleep, still pulling at his arms and legs sporadically.
***L 14, Nirvana Resort, Oracle, AZ***
"Brother Warden, you questioned the vessel, didn't you?" Ezekiel said, coolly.
The man hung his head. "I am sorry oh honored one, my impatience may have cost us another day in this hell-world. Please, tell me what I must do to repent?"
"Brother Warden, you must understand that the righteous will ALWAYS win in the end. Do not feel sorrow, but heed this lesson, your penance shall be to beat the vessel of our sacred angel until Sariel comes, use this branch of virtuousness that came from the sacred burning bush, the tool given to us by Joshua, the vessel of sacred Masim, guardian angel of the winds. Our angel must emerge soon, for the time of final judgment will soon be at hand."
Warden bowed and went to the branch. He brought out a lighter and fabric, wrapping the wooden branch in the fabric as he lit the fabric aflame.
Warden had remembered when the angel's vessel Joshua had given them this gracious tool before he ascended. He had gotten away from the minions, and led them directly to where he was destined to be placed, he had taken up a fallen branch from the tree before him, his wings of fan had tangled into the brush. The angel of wind was trapped in the trees, releasing the elemental fury of the winds that day. He had shown them that the branch was a weapon by thrusting it at them, demonstrating. His psyche then collapsed and his true form, Masim the sacred guardian angel of wind had awaked, and as prophesized, the most holy of them all, the honorable Ezekiel Rage, the man who was named after the angel, had slit his throat, as he finished all the angels as only the man housing the name of the angel of death could.
Warden's eyes grew large. "The boy. had spoken of Ezekiel and our beloved Rage. Perhaps he shall awaken soon!" He smiled to himself, though he sighed when he realized the angel would awaken to him smiting his body. 'Though angels feel no pain. he will at the very least think I am insolent.'
***1:30 AM, Oracle, AZ***
"Doug, do you know this area at all?" Benton asked, a sense of desperateness like an animal trapped would have. Somehow the knowledge that time was limited seemed to etch across his face making him age tremendously.
"I don't typically come this far north. But I have a supplier in the business district. Last time he came down he had complained about how a new resort for elitists had come out, he said it was in the center of the town, that it was the highest building they'd ever built in this area."
"I think we should at least check that out." Race suggested. "Center of town, shouldn't be that hard to spot."
***1:30 AM, SL13, Nirvana Resort, Oracle, AZ***
"Sariel, please release this boy from this pain, please, come to us, we all need you!" Warden pleaded as he struck Jonny with the searing hot branch. Jonny's chest had blackened patterns of soot that made lines upon lines across the tight skin. Small cuts made blood mix with the ash.
His eyes started to roll under, after the loss of so much blood and the pain, could he even describe the pain by now? His entire entity seemed to rest on the line of severe pain or peaceful oblivion. No, he had to keep awake, if he slipped off now, he'd be killed. It was his duty to hold on as long as possible, even if his father had abandoned him to this death. No! What was he thinking? His mind drifting around all the ideas, so many words fluttering through his head making it ache as he tried to pull out enough of the words to form a conscious thought. 'Days. abandoned. father. no one cares. gone. alone. Sariel. they want Sariel. they want me. to be.come. Sariel. Sariel. Sariel.'
"Sariel, please, release this boy, has his suffering not equaled your own torment? Those foolish enough to fear you shall burn in the darkest pit of hell, those moral enough to believe in your glory shall rise up with you to your seventh kingdom of heaven! Sariel, do you hear me, my lord?"
"Warum haben Sie mich gestört?" He paused, his eyes were completely washed out. "Sind Sie gekommen, den Tod Ihrer Welt zu suchen?"
Warden bowed his head to the angel. "My master, my angel, my lord. Our savior! You have finally awakened."
"Fordern Sie Sie rufen mich Ihren Retter, wie Sie wissen, was Sie wünschen heraus? Sie betteln für das Verschwinden Ihres existance. Keine Kultur wird Erinnerungen von diesmal je machen." Again, he paused. "Unverschämtes Insekt. Sie haben keine Idee, was Sie wahrheitsgemäss fragen. Ich werde jeden Tropfen des Lebens wie es Wasser durch mein Stroh stehlen war."
"Please, my liege begin by claiming my soul for your heaven's kingdom I am your servant!"
"Nein! Sie sind mein Narr, aber wenn Sie wünschen, dass diese Zerstörung, die es kommen wird. Nur nicht durch I."
Ezekiel made his way down the long elevator. "Minions! The last of the angels, the death of our world has finally come, join me quickly at his shrine, at his altar to pray as we end this existence forever!"
"Ist dies was, den Sie wünschen? Dann werde ich Ihnen Tod geben." He informed as everyone entered. "Je dauernden Tod ewig!"
The masses began to chant along with Sariel, "Tot, Tot, Tot!"
"Tod! Tod! Tod!"
(Status _ Part Six: The Angel Has Arisen _ Completed.)
*Why did you disturb me? Have you come to seek the death of your world? *How dare you call me your savior, what do you wish of me? You beg for the destruction of your existence. No culture will make remembrance of this time ever. Impudent insect. You have no idea of what you ask. I will steal each drop of life as if it were water through a straw. *No! You are my fool, but if you wish for this destruction, it will come. Only not through I. *Is this what you wish? Then I will give you death. Ever lasting death, eternal! *Dead, Dead, Dead! *Death! Death! Death!